


Damaged

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Robert week 2017 [7]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, Robert dealing with his issues with Jack, a concept the show's writers can't seem to grasp, and getting help
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-26 01:34:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12048570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Robert Week 2017Day 7 -  Write a scene, from a storyline, you wish would be given to Robert





	Damaged

**Author's Note:**

> Last one of the week! And this one is on time!
> 
> this is basically what I'd like to see happen with the whole thing with Jack's headstone, instead of it being used as a plot point for Vadam

“Do you want me to come along? I can come along. For moral support and all that.” Leyla told Jacob, smoothing non-existent wrinkles from his shirt.

“I’m fine. Dad is coming with me.” Jacob told her. “I have to do this. I want to.”

“And he’s already faced the police, surely Robert Sugden isn’t so scary after that.” David added, trying to break the tension.

“It’s fine. He has every right to be angry. I think I’d be angry too if I was him.”

 “Let’s just go over there and talk to him. See what he says and take it from there.” David said and gave him a small smile and squeezed his shoulder, steering him out of the shop.

The short walk to the Mill seemed to take forever and Jacob tried to hide his shaking hands from his father as he rang the doorbell.

Aaron buzzed them in and waited for them at the flat’s front door.

“Hi…” He said, confused look on his face.

“Hi we’re here to see Robert, is he in?” David asked.

“Uhm…yeah, yeah sure. He’s just gone upstairs to have a shower. I’ll uhm…  go get him for you… Come in.” Aaron said, stepping aside to let them into the flat. “Sit down, I’ll be back in a minute.”

They watched Aaron disappear up the spiral staircase and Jacob sat down on the sofa.

“Nice place this, isn’t it?” David said as he nervously looked around the room. “Have you ever been in here? You’re mates with Liv aren’t you?”

Jacob shrugged and sat up a little straighter when they heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

“He’ll be down in a minute. Just putting some clothes on.” Aaron told them. “Can I get you guys anything? Brew? Beer, David?”

“Tempting. But no thanks.”

“You guys alright?” Aaron asked as he walked to the kitchen and switched the kettle on.

“Yeah, yeah everything is fine.”

“Yeah? What do you guys need Robert for anyway?”

“Just... a business deal.”

“Business? Do you want him to invest in the shop or something?” Aaron asked jokingly.

“Well… no, but well… we uh…”

“It’s about his dad’s grave.” Jacob cut in. “Is he… angry about that?”

“Why? Do you know who did it?” Robert asked and Jacob jumped slightly. He hadn’t noticed him come into the room.

“Uhm yeah, yeah I do.” Jacob said and stood up. “It was me.”

“You? You shot my father’s headstone to pieces?”

“Yes. I’m really sorry. I was messing about with a mate and it just happened.”

Robert raised his eyebrows.

“You were messing about with a mate in a graveyard?”

“I took my granddad’s gun. We were messing about and it went off.”

“We already talked to him about that. He got a warning from the police. So did dad.” David said quickly.

“Why does Eric even have a gun in the first place?” Aaron asked. “Wait. Never mind. I don’t think I want to know.”

“It’s for protection.” David said. “He’s not 20 anymore and he lives alone…”

“And he lets kids steal his gun and wave it around.” Robert concluded. “That’s sensible gun ownership right there.”

“It wasn’t like that.” Jacob said. “He wasn’t in. I knew he wasn’t in. We… err… I mean, I snuck in and stole it.”

Robert frowned at the slip up but let it go.

“So why were you waving it around in a graveyard then? Trying to impress a girl? Or boy?”

“No nothing like that. We were just being stupid.”

“I’ll say. Someone could’ve gotten seriously hurt. You’re lucky the only thing you hit was the headstone.”

“And I’m really sorry about that. I want to pay for the damage. I’ll work in dad’s shop to get the money.”

“We talked to Victoria.” David told them. “She was pretty upset about the damage but she said you were taking care of it.”

“You want to pay for the damage?” Robert said to Jacob, ignoring David. “Do you have any idea how much that thing costs? You’ll be stocking shelves until you’re thirty, mate.”

Jacob shrugged.

“I don’t care. I feel really bad about what happened and I want to make it right.”

Robert shared a look with Aaron before looking back to Jacob.

“Well I appreciate the offer.” He said, seemingly choosing his words carefully. “But it’s already taken care of. A new stone is being made as we speak. It’s already paid for.”

“Oh… I’ll pay you back then.”

“I don’t care about the money.” Robert waved the comment away. “Or the stone really. Vic and Diane were upset but it’s just a slab of stone to me.”

Aaron raised an eyebrow at the blatant lie. He vividly remembered finding Robert in the graveyard, on his knees in front of Jack’s headstone, tear streaked face and a half empty bottle of whiskey next to him. How he’d put his arms around him and pulled him close, feeling the tears soak his shirt. How he’d listened to Robert talk how lonely he still felt sometimes and how much it hurt that Vic and Diane had only texted him about what happened after they’d gone to see it. How he still felt like the 15 year old boy sometimes who’d just been caught with a boy in his bedroom. Or the 19 year old that got sent away by his father. Aaron had poured the booze out in the grass in front of the stone and wished Jack was still alive. Even if only so Robert would have the chance to sort things out with him once and for all. They’d eventually made it home where Robert had gone straight to bed and Aaron had held him until he’d fallen asleep.

“There has to be something I can do to make it up to you. I really do feel terrible about it. I just keep thinking about how I would feel if I was in your position.”

“Well… I suppose I could do with an assistant.” Robert said after a beat. “How do you feel about office work? Some filing and I’ll teach you how to handle the accounts. You could come along to meetings if you like.”

“Sure. I’ll do anything.” Jacob said quickly.

“Or, you know, if that’s too boring, you could give me and Adam a hand at the scrapyard.” Aaron suggested. “What? The yard is yours too.” He said when he saw the look on Robert’s face.

“I don’t mind working at the scrapyard either.” Jacob told them. “I’ll do whatever you want me to.”

“We’ll see. We’ll just try it for a few weeks, see how you like it, yeah?” Robert suggested.

“Sure. When do I start?”

“School is starting again soon.” David reminded them.

“I can do both. I’ll come in straight after school.”

“We can work something out.” Robert promised him.

Jacob nodded.

“No problem.”

“Alright. Stay out of trouble now then. You’re no use to me as an assistant if you get yourself locked up.” Robert joked and walked them to the door. “I’ll stop by the shop when I’ve sorted things out with Nicola.”

They left and Robert leaned against the flat’s front door and sighed before dragging himself over the sofa and collapsing onto it.

“Why did you lie to them?” Aaron asked, sitting down next to him and pulling his legs in his lap.

Robert didn’t reply, just shrugged and continued to stare at the ceiling.

“I know there’s no stone yet and nothing has been paid for yet. Why won’t you let him pay for it?”

“These things cost a fortune. It would take him ages to come up with the money.”

“So? He caused the damage, he wants to pay for it. It’s only right.”

“It’s easier like this.”

“Rob…”

“I have talked to the stonemason. They sent someone to assess the damage and they’ll let me know about the costs.”

“What if David mentions it to Vic?”

“All Vic knows is what I’ve told her. That I’d sort it. And I have. I’m dealing with it. It’s taken care of. End of story.”

“You know you don’t always have to be the strong one. You’re allowed to not be ok.”

“I’m fine.” Robert insisted and sat up so he could look at Aaron. “You know what you said about Gordon still being in here?” He asked and tapped his temple. “It’s the same for me. My dad and all of our issues, they’re still in here. A kid shooting up his headstone and paying for a new one isn’t going to fix that.”

“Talking to someone about it might.”

“No.”

“Why not? It works for me.”

“I know. And I’m glad it does. But it’s not for me ok?” Robert sighed and laid back down again. “And besides, I have talked about it with someone. You.”

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

“I’m fine Aaron. Just drop it. Please.”

“You’re not fine and we both know it. You don’t have to do everything on your own anymore now. You told me that once. You supported me during some of the hardest months of my life, you stood by me, you helped me get better… Why won’t you let me do that for you?” Aaron pleaded.

“I just… I’m used to doing things on my own…” Robert said after a few minutes. “I was on my own for so long… and then even when I met Lawrence and Chrissie I was still always putting on a show. I never told them anything about my dad or my life before I met them. I just played a role and kept my issues to myself.”

“You don’t have to do that anymore. You can tell me anything, I promise. But I’m not a professional…”

“I just... I’m not ready to talk about it.” Robert admitted, tugging on Aaron’s hand so he’d squeeze in between him and the back of the sofa and they were lying face to face. “The things I told you about my dad… I haven’t told anyone.”

“I won’t tell anyone.”

“No, I know. It’s just… I can’t tell Vic. It’ll ruin her memories of him and I don’t want to do that.”

“Then try talking to a counsellor. They don’t know your dad or your family… sometimes it’s easier to talk to an outsider.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“If I call my counsellor and ask if she can fit you in, will you go?” Aaron asked. “Just once. To try it. See if it helps you. Makes you feel any better.”

“If it makes you happy…” Robert trailed off and Aaron knew that was as close to a yes as he was going to get.

“You’re a stubborn arsehole, do you know that? But I do love you.” He said and pressed a small kiss to Robert’s lips before digging his phone out of his pocket and scrolling through his contacts to find his counsellor’s number. “Hello, this is Aaron Dingle, I’d like to make an appointment please.”


End file.
